Volunteer Travel, Voluntourism & Gap Year Programmes

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Coral Cay Conservation – Conservation volunteers are wanted to protect and manage threatened marine and forest environments.

Gapforce – Founded in 1989, the Gapforce family takes great pride in organising unique, exciting gap year and overseas volunteer projects that enable young people to become global citizens and make a real impact on the world.

Links for Volunteering, Voluntourism and Gap Years

A Broader View Volunteer Corps – ABV is a non profit offering numerous programmes in around 20 countries including working at an orphanage, school, clinic, national park, day care, building, rehabilitation centres, HIV awareness, and more.

Africa & Asia Venture – An organisation that enables students to gain unpaid work experience with youth in Africa, China, India Thailand and Nepal. Projects are also offered outside of these continents, in Mexico and Ecuador.

Agape Adventures – A not for profit organisation with its roots in Ireland that arranges short term and long term volunteer projects around the world including teaching, sports, conservation, animal welfare, medical support, education and more.

Basecamp International Centers – A Canadian based organisation, Basecamp believe international volunteering promotes cross cultural learning that helps create global awareness, understanding between cultures and provides the platform for positive change. Their volunteers have taught in schools, provided disaster relief support for the International Red Cross, built homes for impoverished people and have worked in cooperation with hundreds of local organisations to distribute aid and improve the quality of life for people throughout Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Blue Ventures – An award winning UK based not for profit organisation dedicated to facilitating projects that enhance global coral reef conservation and research. Since its creation Blue Ventures has co-ordinated marine projects in Madagascar, Tanzania, New Zealand, South Africa and the Comoros Islands. The successes of Blue Ventures research programmes have always depended on the dedication and enthusiasm of their volunteers. Volunteers from all over the world and from all walks of life work with them both above and below the water, and are responsible for a range of tasks, from carrying out field research to managing the day-to-day running of field camps.

Cactus Language – Language courses, tefl courses, homestays and community projects around the world. Not just restricted to students, the company offer programmes for both professionals and retirees.

Cadip – A non profit Canadian organisation that sends volunteers to short term international workcamps.

Center for Cultural Interchange – Volunteer work, internships, language courses, homestays and high school abroad programmes for Americans and Canadians. Also programmes in the US for foreign students.

Center for Interim Programs – Gap and voluntary placements worldwide. American organisation.

Changing Worlds -Offering the opportunity for personal growth and development whilst living and working overseas. Plenty of project types and destinations available.

Coral Cay Conservation – Conservation volunteers are wanted to protect and manage threatened marine and forest environments.

Coral Reef Alliance – Voluntary work that involves the preservation and appreciation of the world’s coral reefs. Site includes details about learning to dive and the International Coral Reef NGO Directory.

Cultural Homestay International – Work experience programmes and volunteering in the USA. Also programmes for Americans abroad.

Do Good As You Go – Their laudable vision is to create a network of hundreds of modern day explorers, traveling overland in communities around the world, using their professional skills to do good as they go to reduce poverty, improve health and inspire others to do the same. Unlike most voluntourism type gap year programmes, their global travelers are seasoned professionals such as doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs and consultants. Formerly known as The Muskoka Foundation.

Experience International – Provides training, exchange programmes, and study tours for both US and non-US citizens in the fields of agriculture, forestry, natural resources management, and conservation.

Exis – A Danish organisation that sends volunteers abroad.

Experience Mission – A faith based NGO offering a new programme for those interested in volunteering abroad. Consider giving six months and immersing yourself into four unique cultures, taking part in projects that tackle real social, physical and spiritual needs, such as teaching English, organising kids programs at orphanages, partnering with local churches, organising water projects and developing micro-finance strategies for the community.

Fly For Good – Bill themselves as the good travel company offering discounted travel for volunteers. A large number of volunteer projects offered by varied organisations can be found using their volunteer trip finder. Each quarter, Fly for Good picks a humanitarian project to donate a portion of their profits.

Fronteering – Fronteering takes you off the beaten path and offers many different volunteer abroad opportunities, such as wildlife volunteering, care for huskies or help save the Amazon Amerindian way of life.

Frontier – Frontier is a conservation research and development organisation working in tropical developing countries. Their conservation projects work to save endangered wildlife and threatened forests and reefs. Volunteers can join their expeditions in numerous countries and contribute to a worthwhile cause while travelling. They also have paid staff positions for those with relevant experience who are interested in working overseas.

Gap360 – Paid jobs, adventures, volunteering and gap year travel abroad.

Gapforce – Founded in 1989, the Gapforce family takes great pride in organising unique, exciting gap year and overseas volunteer projects that enable young people to become global citizens and make a real impact on the world.

Global Citizens Network – This Minnesota-based non-profit organisation seeks to share and promote the values of peace, justice, tolerance, cross-cultural understanding and global cooperation by providing opportunities for cross-cultural expeditions with indigenous peoples around the world.

Global Citizen Year – Americans do gap years. Lots of buzz words.

Globalteer – A UK registered non profit charity that serves to help those in need. Apply for an overseas volunteer placement with one of their children’s, community, wildlife and conservation projects.

Global Volunteers – Send more than 1,500 volunteers to 21 countries. American taxpayers may deduct service program fees and expenses on their federal income tax.

Global Volunteer Network – A non profit organisation placing volunteers in community projects throughout the world, giving them the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational, environmental and community aid programmes. Examples include teaching English, environmental work, AIDS education, and assisting in an orphanage.

Go Differently – An ethical tour operator with volunteer vacations, homestays and yoga holidays in Southeast Asia and India.

GoEco – Arranges for hundreds of Israeli and international volunteers each year to participate in ecological and humanitarian projects initiated by its partner organisations around the world. Some of their projects offer employment opportunities.

Greenforce – Environmental expeditions to developing countries. Monthly open evening held in Covent Garden, London. Paid staff jobs offered to ex volunteers.

Hands Up Holidays – Luxury volunteering trips consisting of eco adventures blending sightseeing with a taste of volunteering.

HorizonCosmopolite – HorizonCosmopolite offers internship programs abroad, volunteer work opportunities on every continent and Spanish immersion in Central America. Their programs are designed for any age groups, all nationalities and rarely ask for specific knowledge or qualifications.

The Humanity Exchange – Provide volunteer placements in West Africa and Colombia. In addition to volunteering they have research abroad, Spanish abroad, and French abroad opportunities.

IFRE Volunteers Abroad – A US based non-profit organisation placing students for one to 12 weeks in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. They have placed over 19,000 volunteers and placement fees are pretty reasonable.

Inspire Volunteer – Committed to providing sustainable and meaningful volunteer work that contributes to long term developmental goals across the world.  Their volunteer programmes support underprivileged communities through the work of career break volunteers who contribute invaluable knowledge and expertise to improve the capabilities and capacities of their partner projects.

Institute for Field Research Expeditions – Specialises in ongoing, year round volunteer abroad projects available for two to 12 weeks in 17 countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE-UK) – ICYE-UK offers 18-30 year olds six or 12 months voluntary work overseas. Placements available in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Projects include working with streetchildren, disabled, NGO’s, HIV education, health, environmental work. Can also place people aged 18 and over on environmental projects in Costa Rica and Nepal. The projects in Europe are funded by the European Commission, the other projects are self-funded.

InterExchange – Offers Americans the chance to work in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Turkey and other countries in Europe and around the world.

International Student Volunteers – American volunteer and adventure travel organisation with placements in selected countries around the world including Ecuador, South Africa, Thailand and South Africa.

i to i International Projects Ltd – Over 6,000 volunteers placed in numerous and varied programmes in over 20 countires around the world.

Job Splitters – Job splitters provides help finding affordable volunteer projects and internships.

Journeys for Good – A blog intent on providing the inspiration and information you need to find the perfect voluntourism experience for you.

Lattitude Global Volunteering – Formerly GAP Activity Projects, Lattitude is an international youth development charity offering gap year and overseas volunteering placements for 17 to 25 year olds.

The Leap – Voluntary placements living and working in eco-tourism, conservation and community projects for three months in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Borneo, Cambodia, Costa Rica and South America.

Life After Study Abroad – Helps Americans readjust to a world of oversized burritos, ice cubes and air conditioning, and where age requirements are higher to drink, but lower to drive. There are plenty of articles on what to do next, including volunteering, teaching English, internships and paid jobs. There’s also a year print publication, downloadable as a PDF, to complement the site.

Madventurer – Set up by Newcastle University graduate, John Lawler, aka “Torgbui Mottey 1, Chief of the Shia Traditional Area” in Ghana, Madventurers is a continuation of the voluntary work undertaken during his gap year.

Mast International – US based organisation. Voluntary work in various countries, mostly Europe, in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

Original Volunteers – Offers you the opportunity to volunteer overseas on a range of over 100 volunteer projects in 18 countries around the world.

Projects Abroad – One of the largest volunteer abroad organisations in the world.  Founded in 1992, they send over 8,000 people abroad each year on a variety of service projects and internships overseas.

Project Trust – Spend a year volunteering in one of 22 developing nations.

Rustic Volunteer Travel – A US organisation offering volunteer travel programmes in over 15 countries.

School for Field Studies – Spend part of your gap year with The School for Field Studies, an environmental study abroad program. Join SFS for a semester or a summer to study sea turtles in Mexico, monitor coral reefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands, explore human/wildlife conflicts in Kenya, restore rainforest in Australia, test organic farming protocols in Costa Rica, and more.

SeeTheWild – Wildlife tours and volunteer vacations that support wildlife conservation.

Smaller Earth – Provide volunteer programmes around the world alongside paid work in the USA and Canada.

Sporting Opportunities – A volunteer organisation offering sports related gap years,career breaks and volunteer work overseas.

Starfish Volunteers – Volunteer travel programmes are available at several destinations throughout Thailand including Phuket, Surin, Maehongson and Rayong. Starfish is a growing non profitable volunteer and gap year organisation providing volunteer projects in the areas of health, childcare, wildlife conservation, community development and teaching and has expanded to coverage of Myanmar and India.

Stratosphere International – Community development volunteer opportunities for school groups, university and young adult interns, families, and adults.

Teach A Man To Fish – Current volunteer programmes are in Nicaragua, Honduras and Paragua, but they have also worked in Kenya and Uganda in the past. Work at their rural self sufficient schools that have student run businesses on campus ranging from beekeeping to mango farming. They also need volunteers to teach English, IT skills, arts, sports, business, and healthcare classes.

TeenLife – A resource for parents, teens, and educators actively looking for meaningful learning experiences regionally, nationally, and internationally for teenage students.

Travel to Teach – An international non profit organisation, which provides volunteer opportunities in areas such as English and IT teaching, conservation, ecotourism and community development.

Travellers Worldwide – Hundreds of flexible projects; choose from volunteering in community care, conservation, sports, medical or teaching – to cultural or language courses. Or improve a CV with relevant work experience – in countries worldwide.

TravelWorks – German based organisation brokering working holidays and volunteer work worldwide. Since 2001 they have sent over 70,000 people overseas. Those wishing to book a programme through this organisation need to be able to speak French or German.

Twin Work and Travel – Volunteer and gap year programmes around the globe. The projects vary from community, conservation, wildlife volunteering to teach abroad, internships and paid work.

United Planet – Short and long term volunteer work in over 40 countries.

Up With People – A global education and arts organisation whose goal is to bridge cultural barriers and create global understanding through service and music. Students from all parts of the world are invited to travel abroad with UWP for one or two semesters. Each international tour embarks with nearly 100 participants aged 18 to 29 from more than 15 countries. They also run Camp UWP, a three week summer camp in the US for ages 13 to 17 interested in performing arts, leadership, community service and global cultures. Open to US and International applicants.

uVolunteer – uVolunteer limit their operations to in Costa Rica, Ghana, and Thailand to ensure their volunteers have the best, safest experience possible. Activities offered include conservation efforts, teaching English, construction and renovation of community buildings, and work with children with special needs.

Volunteer Forever – Developed by volunteers who wanted a better fundraising solution this site helps you to raise funds to volunteer abroad. Also includes volunteer programme reviews and includes tips for volunteering for free.

Volunteering Solutions – Volunteering Solutions provide volunteering and internship opportunities in different developing countries around the world. Projects are available in India, Nepal, Ghana, Thailand, Tanzania, Cambodia, China, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Kenya, South Africa, Spain, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador etc. Internship projects in medical, dental elective, journalism, and physiotherapy are available in India, Nepal, Thailand, Ghana and Peru.

VolunTourism – Advice and resources for those thinking of indulging in a bit of voluntourism.

WorkingAbroad – An international networking service for volunteers and travellers on volunteer projects in over 150 countries worldwide. WA provide personalised information on voluntary work abroad and grassroots organisations. In addition, they also place volunteers on their own projects including working on Cloudforest Conservation in Ecuador, Cheetah research in Botswana, ecological restoration in Iceland and Nevada, Amazon Basin Research and Conservation in Peru and lots more.

WorldTeach – Volunteer to teach for the summer, a semester or a year. Many locations to choose from including American Samoa, Guyana, Thailand and Poland.

The Year Out Group – An association of leading year out organisations offers information and guidance for young people and their parents and advisers.

Youth International – Inter cultural exchanges, adventure, community service and homestays.